'He wants to beat your mum too' - Andre Agassi praises 'boxer' Novak Djokovic's fighting spirit as he pursues record 25th Slam at French Open
Updated 06/06/2025 at 11:41 GMT+1
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Novak Djokovic has had a topsy-turvy 2025 so far but the Serbian has shone on the clay in Paris and is just two wins away from setting the outright record for Grand Slam victories as he chases a 25th major title. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner waits in the semi-final and 1999 French Open champion Andre Agassi tells TNT Sports that Djokovic will do anything in his power to take victory at Roland-Garros.
'I thrive on these occasions' - Djokovic 'locked in' ahead of Sinner semi-final
Video credit: TNT Sports
Andre Agassi has praised Novak Djokovic’s relentless nature as he pursues a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
Level with Margaret Court on 24 major titles, the Serbian can take the top spot outright with two victories at Roland-Garros.
He will have to get past world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals first, if he is to have a shot at the trophy on the French clay. Djokovic and Sinner's encounter is Philippe-Chatrier’s evening game, starting from 7pm UK time on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Despite an inconsistent year so far, Agassi thinks Djokovic remains one of the sport’s major forces.
"Novak’s deal when he gets on the tennis court has always been a fascinating thing to me. He’s like a boxer that wants to feel the leather on his face," he told TNT Sports.
"He wants to take your best punches, knowing he can handle it. He gets out there and he lets you throw blows at him and he fights it off.
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Djokovic wins 'mesmerising' 41-shot rally to save break point in thrilling style
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Then he gets a little irritated that you keep throwing blows at him. Then he goes into his hypersonic defence mode and he takes that kind of pounding and resists it.
"Then he sprinkles in the offence, and the opponent says to themselves, ‘Wait a second. I was on offence. I went from hitting some winners to having to hit five winners to win a point, to hitting no winners and now this guy’s on offence. How the hell am I supposed to win this tennis match?’
"He just rips your heart out. It’s like he wants to beat your mum too."
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Djokovic has dropped just one set on his way to the semi-finals, having seen off the likes of Filip Misolic, Cameron Norrie and Alexander Zverev.
Sinner - who has been irrepressible so far in France - will provide a different challenge altogether and TNT Sports expert Jim Courier knows Djokovic will need to up his level.
"I think Novak has to play an offence-first kind of match," he said.
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Highlights: Djokovic beats Zverev in four sets to book semi-final spot
Video credit: TNT Sports
"For so many years we just didn’t see Novak, or Roger [Federer] or Rafa [Nadal] for that matter, play bad matches and beat themselves. Well, guess who’s doing that now? Jannik Sinner.
"[Carlos] Alcaraz has the highest peak in men’s tennis right now, but the highest consistent level of tennis - that’s Jannik Sinner.
"This guy, Djokovic, used to have it, but he’s been a little up and down this year. It’s been great to see him bring it back, but Sinner has so much power. He’s six foot four, and he moves great.
"He’s got that same type of flexibility with the open stance swings and the slides. I’m just glad we don’t have to deal with these guys now. The one good thing about being old is that we don’t have to play those guys."
Stream the 2025 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+
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